Why Does Gray Hair Turn Yellow?
I love my gray hair more than I ever imagined that I would. There is one thing that I hate about having gray hair and that is YELLOWING. It is one thing that does not go away completely. When I was growing out my dyed hair and when all the dyed hair was gone I did not notice yellowing with my hair. It was very bright but the longer my gray hair got the more I noticed the ends get a yellow tinge. This brings up the question:
Why does my hair turn yellow?
** Please Note: This post contains affiliate links. I only link to products that I personally like or that have been recommended to me by my beautiful butterflies. **
Genetics
There is nothing you can do about genetics, accept it, and make the best out of it. Genetics also explains why some who have gray hair and they don’t get any yellowing with their gray hair.
Sun
I read in this article that the sun’s UV rays can yellow your hair because they leech out the blue. Who knew?
Here are some practical things that can lessen the chance of the sun yellowing your hair. Did you know they have sunscreen for your hair? I sure didn’t. I am thankful for Nikol Johnson who did a video about this sunscreen that you can put on your hair to protect it when you spend time out in the sun.
You can also wear a hat to protect not only your but your scalp.
I had a lovely butterfly help me to understand how important it is to protect our scalp from sun exposure especially if you wear your hair in protective styles like braids protect that scalp from the skin's UV rays.
Here’s a sun-protective spray you can try to help protect your scalp.
Water
Minerals in hard water and chlorine in pools can discolor our gray hair. Here are some solutions to this: are 1. Using distilled water. I use distilled water in my refresher spray when I style or detangle my hair.
2.Using a shower filter to get out the chlorine. Having a shower filter will not only help your hair but your skin too!
3. Wetting your hair before going in the pool so that it does not absorb any more water and use coconut oil which penetrates the hair shaft and can protect it. You can also try this spray which is good for after going to the pool.
Products
Some products especially products that are not clear or white can discolor our hair. You can avoid using colored products or certain oils that can stain gray hair. I personally have decided to use some oils that may stain because the benefits of using them outweigh the yellow and I have found a hack to help me deal with yellow tips. Check it out here. Here are some oils that you can try that are clear and may not stain your gray hair.
Medications/Vitamins
This is another thing that may have to be accepted cause medication is necessary and so are vitamins for good health.
Heat
The heat reacts to water or products in your hair. It reminds me of when you get an oil stain and if you don’t spot treat it then put it in the dryer. The heat from the dryer sets the stain and it won’t be removed.
Smoke and pollution discolor the hair.
How to remove the yellow from gray hair.
Another thing you can do is clarify your hair to remove product buildup. You can use kaolin clay which is great for sensitive skin and scalp to gently cleanse and is a purple shampoo alternative. You can use a tbsp of apple cider vinegar diluted with 8oz of water to help clarify and brighten your gray hair.
I had a beautiful butterfly named Nora suggest to me to use a capful or two of peroxide and mix with your favorite shampoo. I tried it and had good results.
I will cover purple shampoos fully in another post because they are another option for yellowing gray hair.
Until then if you want a full list of my favorite products. Sign up for it here.
Keep shining and flying with the wings you have been given 🦋
Please share this article with someone who can benefit!
